Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

Billionaire <keyword id="19929098" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gautam-adani" source="keywords">Gautam Adani</keyword>'s group will supply <keyword id="19914923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-energy" source="keywords">clean energy</keyword> to power Google's cloud services and operations in India, the two firms said on Thursday. <keyword id="19955648" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Adani-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Adani Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Adani Group">Adani group</keyword> will supply 61.4 megawatt of electricity from a new <keyword id="21342349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-wind-hybrid-project" source="keywords">solar-wind hybrid project</keyword> located at its 30 gigawatt (GW) Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat. Google powers most of its cloud operations and services through electricity procured from the grid and is planning to run the entire operations on clean energy by 2030. Adani is expected to start commercial operations in the third quarter of 2025. At the '<keyword id="23413952" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-for-India" source="keywords">Google for India</keyword>' event, the search giant also announced a partnership with CleanMax for sourcing 125.4 MW of clean energy to power its offices and cloud regions in India. Of the contracted volumes, 66 MW solar energy will come from Rajasthan and 59.4 MW wind energy from Karantaka. "These projects are expected to start commercial operations in Q4 2025 and will deliver <keyword id="22243112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="carbon-free-energy" source="keywords">carbon-free energy</keyword> to the grid where Google operates offices and cloud regions in India," Google said. While Google made the announcement at the 'Google for India' event here, the Adani Group gave details in a statement. "Through this partnership Adani will supply clean energy from a new solar-wind hybrid project located in the world's largest renewable energy plant at Khavda, Gujarat. This new project is expected to start commercial operations in the third quarter of 2025," the Adani group statement said. This innovative collaboration will help advance Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy goal by ensuring cloud services and operations in India are supported by clean energy and thereby contribute to the <keyword id="20289318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-growth" source="keywords">sustainable growth</keyword> of Google in India. Adani had previously announced plans to set up data centres run on clean energy. It had in October 2022 leased 4.64 lakh square feet of space at its data centre in Noida to Raiden Infotech, an entity of Google.

Adani to supply clean energy for Google's cloud operations in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aws">Amazon</a> is anchoring a $500 million financing round for X-energy to develop modular nuclear reactors.</li><li>The first sites in Washington and Virginia would provide carbon-free energy to meet growing demand.</li></ul>Big Tech continues to go nuclear as the artificial intelligence boom drives energy demand to new heights.Amazon announced on Wednesday that it is anchoring a $500 million investment for X-energy to develop small advanced modular nuclear reactors, which will provide carbon-free power for some of its data centers.Amazon's AWS, which provides cloud services to clients, including generative AI products, relies on large data centers that require huge amounts of energy to operate.Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, as well as affiliates of Ares Management Corporation, NGP, and the University of Michigan, are among the investors in the Series C-1 financing round."We need smart solutions that can help us meet growing energy demands while also addressing climate change," Amazon's vice president of global data centers, Kevin Miller, said in a statement. "X-energy's technology will be integral in helping achieve this, and is an important step in Amazon's work to achieve our Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero by 2040."The companies said their partnership aims to develop more than 5 gigawatts of new power projects across the US by 2039.The first sites in Washington and Virginia would provide carbon-free energy to meet growing demand through partnerships with Energy Northwest and Dominion Energy, respectively.Using clusters of 80-megawatt reactors, the first installation in Washington will begin with four units generating 320 megawatts of power, with the option to scale up to 12 units that deliver 960 megawatts. The highest carbon-emitting coal-powered plants generate roughly 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/the-top-10-emitting-power-plants-in-america/">according</a> to Politico's E&amp;E News.Amazon's investment follows similar interest in nuclear from Microsoft and Google as the tech giants seek out clean energy to fuel foundation AI development for large language models, which require massive amounts of energy.Microsoft last month helped advance a plan to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/three-mile-island-nuclear-plant-reopens-power-microsoft-ai-push-2024-9">reopen the Three Mile Island</a> plant, the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in US history, and Google on Monday <a target="_blank" href="https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/google-kairos-power-nuclear-energy-agreement/">announced</a> a partnership in SMR tech with Kairos Power.<div type="image" title="three mile island" height="1328" width="2000" msid="114291452" hostid="261" sizebytes="147418"></div>Earlier this year, Amazon also <a target="_blank" href="https://ir.talenenergy.com/static-files/f02c44a9-d2dc-45c1-9331-eee1495f7d2d">bought</a> a $650 million data center in Pennsylvania that came with a direct line to the nearby nuclear-powered Susquehanna Steam Electric Station.Other proposals in New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas would build data centers adjacent to nuclear plants in order to bypass the power grid, IEEE Spectrum <a target="_blank" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/amazon-data-center-nuclear-power">reported</a>.In contrast to a full-scale nulear facility, X-energy says its modular system is "road-shippable" and able to be installed where it is needed."Nuclear is an important source of clean and reliable power that our nation needs to meet the growing demand for energy," Ken Griffin said in a statement. "X-energy provides an impactful solution to a critical challenge – and the support Amazon, Dow, and other major corporations have provided underscores its potential and merit."

Amazon invests in nuclear energy, hot on the heels of Google and Microsoft

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft are striking nuclear power deals for their AI data centers.</li><li>The nuclear power resurgence is driven by clean energy demand and AI's soaring power needs.</li></ul>The nuclear power industry <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-google-microsoft-openai-big-tech-investment-nuclear-ai-race-2024-10">is undergoing a renaissance</a> as demand for clean power soars across the country, partly driven by the soaring energy needs associated with artificial intelligence data centers.Mega-cap technology companies, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/amzn-stock">Amazon</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/msft-stock">Microsoft</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/googl-stock">Alphabet</a>, have inked nuclear power deals to feed their growing energy needs as AI becomes a bigger part of their businesses. One utility company is even restarting the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant after inking a 20-year deal to sell the power to Microsoft.Three Mile Island, located on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, was the site of the country's worst nuclear accident in 1979.Meanwhile, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-nuclear-power-strategy-ai-2024-10">Amazon has led a $500 million financing round</a> for a company developing modular nuclear reactors and purchased a nuclear-powered data center in March for $650 million."One of the fastest ways to address climate change is by transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear energy is both carbon-free and able to scale—which is why it's an important area of investment for Amazon," Amazon Web Services CEO, Matt Garman, said in a press release.Analysts on Wall Street are encouraged, too. "The nuclear energy projects involve the construction of several Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), a compact, advanced type of reactor that can be built closer to grids and completed faster than traditional reactors. SMRs also offer the potential to reduce carbon emissions, paving the way for cleaner, more sustainable energy," CFRA analyst Arun Sundaram said in a note last week.He added: "With the full power of AI dependent on both data centers and energy infrastructure, these investments further help AMZN secure its positioning as a leading cloud/AI provider."The resurgence in nuclear power has led to big moves on Wall Street, with some stocks more than doubling in just a few days this month.From utility companies to uranium miners to small-scale nuclear developers, these stocks are soaring amid the revival of America's nuclear power industry.7. Cameco<div type="image" title="CCJ stock" height="568" width="671" msid="114593576" hostid="261" sizebytes="23410"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ccj-stock">CCJ</a> Market value: $23.6 billion YTD Performance: +25%6. BWX Technologies<div type="image" title="BWXT stock" height="595" width="682" msid="114593572" hostid="261" sizebytes="21428"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/bwxt-stock">BWXT</a> Market value: $11.3 billion YTD Performance: +62%5. Oklo<div type="image" title="OKLO stock" height="590" width="674" msid="114593573" hostid="261" sizebytes="18650"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/oklo-stock">OKLO</a> Market value: $2.4 billion YTD Performance: +88%4. Constellation Energy<div type="image" title="CEG stock" height="610" width="680" msid="114593579" hostid="261" sizebytes="23222"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ceg-stock">CEG</a> Market value: $83.5 billion YTD Performance: +128%3. Vistra<div type="image" title="CEG stock" height="570" width="676" msid="114593574" hostid="261" sizebytes="22818"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/vst-stock">VST</a> Market value: $43.0 billion YTD Performance: +224%2. Nano Nuclear Energy<div type="image" title="NNE stock" height="588" width="677" msid="114593578" hostid="261" sizebytes="21170"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nne-stock">NNE</a> Market value: $589.6 million YTD Performance: +272%1. NuScale Power<div type="image" title="SMR stock" height="567" width="676" msid="114593570" hostid="261" sizebytes="21064"></div>Ticker: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/smr-stock">SMR</a> Market value: $1.8 billion YTD Performance: +481%

Nuclear power stocks are soaring amid an AI energy push. Here are 7 names to watch.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a cut in customs duty on minerals such as lithium, copper and cobalt, which are critical for nuclear energy, renewable and other sectors, to give a fillip to the energy transition. In her budget speech in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman recalled that in the interim budget she had announced a strategy to sustain high and more resource-efficient economic growth, along with energy security in terms of availability, accessibility and affordability. "We will bring out a policy document on appropriate energy transition pathways that balances the imperatives of employment, growth and environmental sustainability," she said. Noting that minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements are critical for sectors like nuclear energy, <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword>, space, defence, telecommunications, and high-tech electronics, she proposed to fully exempt customs duties on 25 critical minerals and reduce BCD (basic customs duty) on two of them. This will provide a major fillip to the processing and refining of such minerals and help secure their availability for these strategic and important sectors, she said. She stated that energy transition is critical in the fight against climate change. To support energy transition, she proposed to expand the list of exempted capital goods for use in the manufacture of solar cells and panels in the country. Further, she stated that in view of sufficient domestic manufacturing capacity of solar glass and tinned copper interconnect, I propose not to extend the exemption of customs duties provided to them. Noting that steel and copper are important raw materials and to reduce their cost of production, she proposed to remove the BCD on ferro nickel and blister copper. "I am also continuing with nil BCD on ferrous scrap and nickel cathode and concessional BCD of 2.5 per cent on copper scrap," she said. About the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which was rolled out earlier this year, he informed the House that in line with the announcement in the interim budget, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has been launched to install rooftop solar plants to enable 1 crore households obtain free electricity up to 300 units every month. The scheme has generated remarkable response with more than 1.28 crore registrations and 14 lakh applications, and we will further encourage it, he stated. She further stated that a policy for promoting pumped storage projects will be brought out for electricity storage and facilitating smooth integration of the growing share of renewable energy with its variable &amp; intermittent nature in the overall energy mix. She stated that nuclear energy is expected to form a very significant part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat. Towards that pursuit, our government will partner with the private sector for setting up Bharat Small Reactors; research &amp; development of Bharat Small Modular Reactor and research &amp; development of newer technologies for nuclear energy, she informed the House. The R&amp;D funding announced in the interim budget will be made available for this sector, she added. The development of indigenous technology for Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) <keyword id="20421620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="thermal-power" source="keywords">thermal power</keyword> plants with much higher efficiency has been completed, she informed the House. A joint venture between NTPC and BHEL will set up a full-scale 800 MW commercial plant using AUSC technology and the government will provide the required fiscal support, she added. Moving forward, the development of indigenous capacity for the production of high-grade steel and other advanced metallurgy materials for these plants will result in strong spin-off benefits for the economy, she pointed out. A roadmap for moving the 'hard to abate' industries from 'energy efficiency' targets to 'emission targets' will be formulated, she stated adding that appropriate regulations for the transition of these industries from the current 'Perform, Achieve and Trade' mode to 'Indian Carbon Market' mode will be put in place. She further stated that an investment-grade energy audit of traditional micro and small industries in 60 clusters, including brass and ceramic, will be facilitated. Financial support will be provided for shifting them to cleaner forms of energy and implementation of energy efficiency measures. The scheme will be replicated in another 100 clusters in the next phase, she stated. Gaurav Kedia, Chairman, Indian Biogas Association said that the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024 has unveiled a roadmap towards a sustainable and resilient India, with agriculture and energy security at its core. It is anticipated that these initiatives will catalyze the growth of the biogas industry, leading to increased rural employment, reduced carbon emissions, and improved soil health, he stated. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank">Budget 2024-25 – Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-record-allocation-of-rs-1-48-lakh-crore-for-education-employment-and-skilling/articleshow/111951228.cms">Budget 2024: Record allocation of Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling!</a>

FM cuts customs duty on minerals critical for energy transition

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Happy Friday! Looking for a new way to jumpstart your mornings? (Besides reading this newsletter, of course.) Retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-navy-seal-military-morning-routine-helps-him-in-business-2024-10">shared his daily routine</a> that keeps the now-business owner focused.Speaking of new, we've got a cool tool for you to play around with: AI-powered search. We're using generative AI to help easily find all of our great stories. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/">Check it out on our homepage</a>.In today's big story, inside Amazon's internal pitch for turning to nuclear power <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-nuclear-power-strategy-ai-2024-10">to meet its growing energy needs</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-q3-earnings-elon-musk-profit-margins-guidance-2024-10">Tesla's stock had a monster day</a> following its stellar earnings report.</li><li>Tech: In an exclusive interview, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-benioff-salesforce-ceo-interview-microsoft-ai-threatens-crm-lead-2024-10">Marc Benioff bashes Microsoft's Copilot</a>.</li><li>Business: The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-going-on-with-economy-jobs-inflation-election-voting-2024-10">good and bad about the economy</a> less than two weeks from the election.</li></ul>But first, let's power up.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">Nuclear needs</h2><div type="image" title="Amazon logo with smoke coming out." height="1250" width="2500" msid="114590276" hostid="261" sizebytes="87984"></div>What's bigger than tech's ambitious plans for generative AI? The amount of energy needed to power it.That's led Big Tech to consider nuclear power to address its skyrocketing energy requirements.Business Insider's Eugene Kim has a report on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-nuclear-power-strategy-ai-2024-10">how Amazon navigates its nuclear ambitions</a>. In a signal of how serious Amazon is about going nuclear, the company pitched the energy source to CEO Andy Jassy this June, according to a company document he obtained.Since then, Amazon has led a $500 million financing round for a company developing modular nuclear reactors. It also agreed to purchase power from Talen Energy's nuclear-powered data center in March.And it's not alone.Microsoft and Google have invested in the sector, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman backed a nuclear reactor startup.The stakes are high for tech players to get energy. Eugene previously reported on how Amazon's dreams of building a data center empire <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-data-centers-delays-costs-power-labor-shortages-aws-ai-2024-10">face the realities of electricity, water, and labor constraints</a>.Should those data center efforts continue to struggle, companies' big bets on generative AI could also falter.<div type="image" title="Protesters at Three Mile Island." height="470" width="700" msid="114590280" hostid="261" sizebytes="35920"></div>A tech-nuclear relationship is mutually beneficial.Tech companies need cost-efficient, reliable energy sources <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-nuclear-power-ai-data-centers-2024-10">that won't increase their carbon footprint</a>, writes BI's Hasan Chowdhury. Nuclear power ticks that box better than other clean energy options like solar or wind.Nuclear power, meanwhile, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/data-centers-amazon-ai-nuclear-power-grid-2024-5">is an industry in desperate need of some love</a>, BI's Daniel Geiger and Ellen Thomas previously reported. With at least one commercial nuclear plant closing every year since 2013, the sector has welcomed the interest."We're seeing customers approach us at a rate that we haven't seen in my history with this industry," Jim Burke, CEO of nuclear owner Vistra, said back in March.Naturally, there are skeptics. A byproduct of nuclear power is radioactive waste. The transportation and storage of that remains a hot-button issue. High-profile incidents involving power plants like Chernobyl and Fukushima also drew criticism and stoked fears around the globe.Big Tech hasn't shied away from it. In September, Microsoft cut a deal with Constellation Energy to get power from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/three-mile-island-nuclear-plant-reopens-power-microsoft-ai-push-2024-9">part of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant</a>, home to the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history.<h3 id="77f31a4c-8462-4e3d-a71f-838cb79493fb">News brief</h3><h2 id="1fcd294b-3f53-425f-9f20-4093e8623b59">Top headlines</h2><ul><li>Exclusive: Maven Clinic is swapping out its finance chiefs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mavens-cfo-out-as-womens-health-startup-gets-fresh-funding-2024-10">as the women's health unicorn looks ahead to an IPO</a>.</li><li>The 'whale' placing huge bets on a Trump win is a French national with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/polymarket-donald-trump-betting-odds-whale-french-trader-harris-polls-2024-10">extensive trading experience</a>.</li><li>The New York Liberty celebrated its first-ever championship and record-breaking WNBA season <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-liberty-wnba-championship-parade-photos-2024-10">with a jubilant party</a>.</li><li>Former Avenue employee accused of 'blackmailing' billionaire Marc Lasry countersues, claiming sexual harassment <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaire-marc-lasry-accused-of-sexual-harassment-in-countersuit-2024-10">including forced kissing, groping, and comments about her body</a>.</li><li>Putin once asked Elon Musk to not activate Starlink over Taiwan as a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-elon-musk-starlink-taiwan-china-favor-xi-jinping-report-2024-10">favor to Xi Jinping</a>: report.</li></ul><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Name plates on blue background" height="900" width="1200" msid="114590272" hostid="261" sizebytes="60254"></div><ol><li>Welcome to the world of hedge funds, where job titles are made up and don't matter. Unlike its Wall Street peers, the $4.3 trillion hedge-fund industry <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/an-inside-look-at-hedge-fund-job-titles-2024-10">has little uniformity regarding titles</a>. The naming free-for-all means employees and hiring managers can take advantage of using trumped-up titles.</li><li>Tesla's stock just went from 0 to 60. Shares of the EV giant <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/elon-musk-net-worth-gains-tesla-stock-price-earnings-tsla-2024-10">finished the day up almost 22%</a> after Wednesday's strong earnings report. Elon Musk added $30 billion to his net worth from the spike.</li><li>The election's biggest risk to the market isn't who wins but how long it takes to decide. BlackRock Investment Institute head Jean Boivin said <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-presidential-election-trump-harris-outlook-volatility-stock-sell-off-2024-10">a contested election would be bad news for investors</a>. He's not alone in his concerns, as others have pointed to short-term volatility when results were delayed in 2020 and 2000.</li></ol><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff." height="1333" width="2000" msid="114590275" hostid="261" sizebytes="41956"></div><ol><li>Marc Benioff isn't buying Microsoft's AI hype. In an exclusive interview with BI, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-benioff-salesforce-ceo-interview-microsoft-ai-threatens-crm-lead-2024-10">the Salesforce CEO bashed Microsoft's AI Copilot</a>, calling it inaccurate and dubbing the tool "Clippy 2.0." Benioff's diss came after Microsoft recently announced new Dynamics 365 AI agents, directly competing with a new Salesforce product available today.</li><li>Keep your eyes on these 13 creator-economy startups. New startups are finding ways to break into an industry dominated by Big Tech. BI asked venture capitalists which new creator companies they felt showed promise. From advertising platforms to AI tech companies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/promising-creator-economy-influencer-marketing-startups-per-top-vcs-2024-10">here's the startups to watch</a>.</li><li>A longtime safety researcher left OpenAI. Miles Brundage, who advised OpenAI leadership on safety and policy, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/another-safety-researcher-is-leaving-openai-2024-10">announced his departure</a> on X. The AGI Readiness team he oversaw will also be disbanded. Brundage's exit is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from the startup.</li></ol><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="Ben Franklin flag on red background" height="900" width="1200" msid="114590270" hostid="261" sizebytes="100740"></div><ol><li>Here's what's going on with the economy ahead of the election. For many Americans, the state of the economy is top of mind heading into the polls. The good news? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-going-on-with-economy-jobs-inflation-election-voting-2024-10">It's doing broadly well</a>. The unemployment rate remains relatively low, and inflation has slowed. Still, other not-so-great data points have voters feeling pessimistic.</li><li>The housing crisis, as explained by two swing states. Renters and homeowners in swing states have been disproportionately affected by rising housing costs. Two states, Pennsylvania and Arizona, exemplify the problem. While Arizona's population is surging, Pennsylvania's is shrinking — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/arizona-pennsylvania-swing-state-home-prices-surge-housing-shortage-2024-10">and neither can build enough homes</a>.</li><li>Behind the scenes of Emma Tucker's Wall Street Journal makeover. Tucker joined the legacy outlet in 2023 with a focus on diversifying and growing the paper's subscriber base. So far, it seems to be working, with subscriptions increasing by 11% over the past year. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-journal-editor-emma-tucker-interview-peter-kafka-2024-10">She spoke with BI about how she's remaking the paper</a> — including reorganizing and cutting staff.</li></ol><h2 id="1ad7b482-3f4b-44b4-81b6-a864aa386478">In other news</h2><ul><li>Jensen Huang says <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jensen-huang-tsmc-helped-fix-design-flaw-with-nvidias-blackwell-2024-10">a design flaw with Nvidia's Blackwell chips has been fixed</a> — with TSMC's help.</li><li>Why some CEOs are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-bill-gates-ceo-avoid-criticizing-trump-2024-10">afraid of publicly criticizing Trump</a>.</li><li>Norway wants to ban under-15s from social media, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/norway-ban-social-media-kids-under-15-backfire-2024-10">expects an 'uphill battle.'</a></li></ul><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Former Abercrombie &amp; Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries will be arraigned on sex trafficking charges in federal court.</li><li>SpaceX's Crew-8 mission crew returns to Earth today.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London.

Big Tech goes nuclear: Amazon's pitch to use power plants shows the crucial role the energy source plays for AI

<ul><li><keyword id="6355629" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="google" source="Orion">Google</keyword> aims to develop sustainable and energy-efficient data centres.</li><li>The company became <keyword id="1044624" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="carbon-neutral" source="Orion">carbon neutral</keyword> in 2007.</li><li>Google emphasis on PUE and a clean global grid to become carbon-free by 2030.</li></ul> Google uses twice as much electricity as the city of San Francisco in its data centres. The amount of energy used by Google is increasing every day as its business grows and overall internet usage grows. Since 2007, the company says it has been carbon neutral meaning, the company says it bought equal amounts of carbon offsets (through land restoration and planting trees) and used renewable energy to make the company’s net operating carbon emissions zero. Following this from 2017, Google also claims to have matched its total electricity usage with renewable energy purchases. Over the years, the company has announced significant steps to use carbon-free energy but still, it operates with some power that emits carbon dioxide. Now, by 2030 Google aims to operate 24/7 electricity on carbon-free energy. Simplifying this, the company will operate every hour with carbon-free electricity. Sounds stressing? Let us tell you how. Efficient data centres and power usage effectiveness (PUE) Google’s data centres are the most prominent source of energy consumption. In order to be carbon-free by 2030, data centres must use clean sources of energy and should be ultra-efficient. Google says that they are the largest annual corporate purchaser of renewable energy in the world. But you must be thinking about why energy is so important for Google. Well, every Google search you do requires a tiny amount of energy used by the servers at Google data centres. With millions of searches per minute and trillions per year, it adds up to a whole lot of energy at data centres. Having efficient data centres around the world will help Google to use 100% carbon-free energy. Google focuses on efficient data centres and power usage effectiveness (PUE) which is the ratio of energy used by a computer at data centres divided by the total energy used by the computing equipment. For example, 1 PUE means all of the energy goes to computing equipment and 2 PUE means if 1 unit of energy is used by computing equipment then 1 unit of energy will be used to cool the equipment. The head of energy development for data centres at Google, Maud Texier says, “to manage PUE, the company is using a combination of hardware and software developments. We have invested in new raw materials for servers that emit less heat.” In addition, the company is also using a machine learning program developed by <a href="https://www.deepmind.com/blog/deepmind-ai-reduces-google-data-centre-cooling-bill-by-40">DeepMind</a>. These machines predict the most efficient time to run the heat pumps to cool down data centres. The most difficult challenge — a clean energy grid Having an energy-efficient data centre is not enough, Google also focuses on how the energy is produced. Texier said, “if we have a clean grid then being 100% carbon-free will be easy for the company. If the grid is not clean in a location where the company wants to build a data centre, then there should be a path to make an impact and accelerate the regional grid’s transition.” She also added that Google uses certain algorithms to decide where to establish or execute computing functions for their data centres in order to achieve sustainability. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/whatsapp-is-finally-allowed-to-have-100-million-users-for-its-payments-service/articleshow/90835669.cms">WhatsApp is finally allowed to have 100 million users for its payments service</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-finally-has-an-app-that-will-let-ios-users-switch-to-android-easily/articleshow/90835201.cms">Google finally has an app that will let iOS users switch to Android easily</a>

Google aims to become 100% carbon-free energy by 2030 — here’s how it’s planning to do it

Billionaire Gautam Adani's group is building the world's largest <keyword id="864915" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy-park" source="Orion">renewable energy park</keyword> in Gujarat, as it eyes a massive 45 GW capacity to generate electricity largely from <keyword id="6357019" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-energy" source="Orion">solar energy</keyword>. Speaking at the opening of '<keyword id="694229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-revolution" source="Orion">Energy Revolution</keyword>: The <keyword id="3179546" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="adani-green-energy" source="Orion">Adani Green Energy</keyword> Gallery' at the Science Museum in London, Gautam Adani said his group's renewable energy arm, Adani Green Energy, is leading an energy transition that honours the commitment of taking care of the planet not just for this generation and the next but also for generations to come. "As the world's leading solar power developer and India's largest renewable energy company, we are taking very big steps," he said. "In Khavda, which is in the state of Gujarat, we are building the world's largest renewable energy park. It will have a generation capacity of 30 GW of energy - and it is incredibly big. Its area of 538 square kilometers is more than five times bigger than Paris." This is part of the aim to reach 45 GW of renewable energy by 2030, said Adani, the chairman of the apples-to-airport conglomerate. "This will be like providing clean energy to almost every house in England," he said. It currently has an operating renewable portfolio of over 9.5 GW and locked-in projects of up to 21.8 Gigawatt (GW). The Gallery explores how the world can generate and use energy more sustainably to urgently decarbonise and to limit dangerous climate change. "Through striking displays of contemporary and historic objects from the UK and abroad, interactive digital exhibits, and specially commissioned models, the gallery shows how the past, present and future are shaped by human imagination and innovation and explores how we all have a role to play in deciding our energy future," a company statement said. The Gallery, which is open to the public for free, examines this century's defining challenge through the lens of imagination across three sections. In Future Planet, visitors can explore how scientists use complex computer-based models to understand our planet, and what these tell us about the range of climate futures that might lie ahead. In Future Energy, technologies and the people behind them that are reimagining how energy is supplied and used are highlighted alongside historic artefacts which provide a longer view of the transition away from fossil fuels. Adani said museums are very important because they teach and inspire. "This new gallery is about more than just clean air - or about moving away from oil and gas. It is about the energy transition we need - this world needs - and it is about the revolution that is taking place in the world of energy." The gallery, he said, was special because it makes us think, dream and wish for change. At the centre of the gallery is Only Breath, a moving sculpture that signifies the power of nature to inspire technological change. Radiating outward from the centre are plinths which display vital low-carbon renewable energy technologies for the transition, from nuclear, hydrogen and solar to wind and tidal power, alongside remarkable historic innovations that remind us how major change is possible and that many of the technologies needed to make the low-carbon energy transition already exist. Objects in this section include a 7m long tidal turbine blade made by Scottish renewable energy company Orbital Marine Power and the first electric taxi, the Bersey cab, hailed by Londoners in 1897. The challenges of electrification, energy storage, and supply and demand are also explored, with visitors invited to play interactive games and use models that show how energy can be generated and distributed. Possible routes to low-carbon transport are featured, as well the decarbonisation of our buildings and construction industries, and visitors can learn about climate modelling and see instruments used to measure climate. Energy Revolution was designed by award-winning architects, Unknown Works. A key element of sustainable design was the reuse of redundant shelves from the Science Museum's former object store. The gallery's carbon footprint has been monitored, and recyclable aluminium was used where possible. The gallery's Title Funder is Adani Green Energy. Sagar Adani, Executive Director, AGEL, said, "The Science Museum has put together the world's best curated gallery on energy transition. As one of the world's largest renewable energy companies, we are committed to making progress towards net zero - and there is no greater resource in the fight against climate change than education. "Through the sponsorship of the gallery, we aim to inspire young minds, scientists and innovators to imagine a future powered by clean energy and build a carbon-free world. It is an initiative to stimulate their interest, curiosity and awareness, and encourage their active participation in creating clean technologies. The gallery brings together the global community to enable the shift towards energy efficiency, clean energy adoption and carbon emissions reduction." Sir Ian Blatchford, Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group, said, "In a week when we're celebrating a record 2.25 million visits by UK residents to the museum, including a million children, this stunning gallery offers even more to ignite curiosity among those who will visit in the year ahead - provoking important conversations about the urgent need for the world to generate and use energy more sustainably."

Adani eyes 45 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Renewables can offer cheaper energy than fossil fuels, but the grid isn't designed to handle them.</li><li>We explore the places in the US making progress on this front. </li></ul>Think about the last time your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackouts-power-outages-more-common-climate-change-electric-grid-infrastructure-2023-3">power went out</a>.Maybe a car hit an electricity-distribution pole or a falling branch took down a power line <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-from-texas-power-outage-ercot-energy-grid-winter-storm-2023-12">during a storm</a>. It probably took at least a few minutes, maybe hours, before your power turned back on.Most likely, that's because workers at your local utility first had to assess how to restore your power. Then dispatchers had to drive to the nearby switches that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-winter-storm-power-cuts-white-house-emergency-declaration-2021-2">control the flow of energy</a> and manually flip them until everyone's lights were back on.Not in Chattanooga, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-tennessee-pros-cons-nashville-memphis-chattanooga-2023-2">Tennessee</a>. Instead, software automatically sends commands to smart switches throughout the system, rerouting the flow of electricity to restore power in seconds.The electric utility in Chattanooga, EPB, has invested $280 million in creating one of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/power-smart-grid-electric-investment-save-money-prevent-blackouts-2024-4">smartest power grids</a> in the country. It has this self-healing system and manages energy more efficiently than traditional grids, reduces carbon emissions, and saves customers money on their electricity bills."They are an example of people who are looking forward to say: We see technology coming," Kevin Schneider, the chief engineer studying power systems at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, told Business Insider. "It is a challenge. It will be expensive, but we view it as less expensive and less challenging than doing nothing for the next 10 years and then trying to catch up."Nationwide, our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/power-grid-strain-home-vehicle-electrification-ai-startups-2024-3">power systems are in trouble</a>. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-laws-us-infrastructure-invest-funding-2024-3">infrastructure is aging and outdated</a>, costing consumers billions a year in higher energy bills. Moreover, the aging grid is not ready for the barrage of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-migration-where-moved-escape-natural-disasters-extreme-weather">increasingly severe weather</a> that the climate crisis is bringing, nor the incoming surge of renewable energy and battery storage as the US moves toward the Biden-Harris administration's goal to achieve a carbon-pollution-free grid by 2035."Much of our grid infrastructure is 40, 50, 60-plus years old," Joe Rand, an energy policy researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, told BI. "And so it is in need of upgrading and maintenance."Smarter grids, like Chattanooga's, are just part of what it will take to modernize the American grid in the coming decades. They can deliver electricity in a "cleaner, more efficient, faster way," Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist studying smart grids at the University of Texas at Austin, told BI.However, getting that electricity in the first place from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-green-power-energy-america-economy-wind-oil-solar-prices-2023-11">wind, solar, and other renewables</a> is where the challenge begins.<h2 id="69b81dd9-e41b-4840-b480-f88f0bf2481c">A troubled transition to renewable energy</h2><div type="image" title="giant wind turbines standing in water" height="1414" width="2121" msid="110091236" hostid="261" sizebytes="187698"></div>Last year was record-breaking for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-renewable-energy-transition-solar-electric-vehicles-hit-records-2024-2">clean energy in the US</a>. Renewables, including wind, solar, and hydropower, represented about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wri.org/insights/clean-energy-progress-united-states">25% of the electricity generated</a> in the US in the first half of 2023.And this year is off to a solid start. South Fork Wind — New York's first offshore wind farm — began powering homes in March. And the Edwards &amp; Sanborn project, the US's largest solar energy and energy storage project in California, came online in January.Renewable energy is not only cleaner than fossil fuels but also often less expensive."In many parts of the United States, wind and or solar are basically the cheapest ways that we can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-panel-industry-electricity-generation-us-eia-tariff-prices-trade-2024-2">generate electricity</a>," Rand said.But we have a long way to go to reach 100% clean electricity by 2035. Renewables are intermittent energy sources. Unlike fossil fuels, the amount of energy they generate fluctuates. But <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hedge-funds-betting-electricity-power-grid-congestion-trading-2024-3">our grid system wasn't designed</a> to handle that variation.Plugging intermittent energy sources into this outdated grid network can cause problems, such as energy imbalances that exceed capacity and trigger outages, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stevens.edu/profile/podonkor">Philip Odonkor</a>, an assistant professor in the School of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens Institute of Technology, told BI.So what's happened is a bottleneck: Renewable projects are generating energy but with limited ways of getting it to towns and cities. At the end of 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-04/Queued%20Up%E2%80%A6But%20in%20Need%20of%20Transmission.pdf">930 gigawatts</a> of power — enough to power <a target="_blank" href="https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data">roughly</a> 171 million homes — were waiting to connect to the grid.To achieve zero-emissions electricity by 2035, the US needs to revamp the grid with up to 10,100 miles of new transmission lines that can transport renewable energy from point A to point B. The Midwest grid operator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, has approved the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrdc.org/bio/toba-pearlman/midwest-grid-operators-inching-forward-miles-go-0">country's largest transmission investment</a> to date, totaling $10.3 billion, to improve how it delivers electricity to 45 million people across the Midwest.But in general, construction on new high-voltage transmission has slowed to a trickle over the past decade, Rand said. In 2013, the US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ferc.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/dec-energy-infrastructure_3.pdf">completed</a> over 3,000 miles of transmission projects. Last year, it <a target="_blank" href="https://cms.ferc.gov/media/energy-infrastructure-update-december-2023">completed</a> 251 miles.It's not economic or technology barriers holding these projects back, Rand said: "It's institutional, regulatory, and social issues."<h2 id="ed839077-604c-48e7-a55c-f3e216767d9a">Breaking down barriers</h2><div type="image" title="A man walks through a power station" height="1937" width="3000" msid="110091239" hostid="261" sizebytes="1045202"></div>When South Fork Wind began operations in March, it was a major milestone but also years behind schedule. Economic headwinds struck in 2020 with the Trump administration's moratorium on offshore wind, which stalled progress for two years."The clearest delay for South Fork was losing those years of progress," said <a target="_blank" href="https://wrisenergy.org/about-wrise/leadership/board/">Julia Bovey</a>, the director of external affairs for offshore wind at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eversource.com/content/residential">Eversource Energy</a>, which co-owns South Fork Wind with <a target="_blank" href="https://us.orsted.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwir2xBhC_ARIsAMTXk84wQN2zsVWYlPKJurVNpM-v2sPcNdUtPeJL5HMpCMOYQ9fYAfdwwnwaAu_mEALw_wcB">Ørsted</a>.Other obstacles stand in the way of clean energy — the biggest being the lengthy permitting process and interconnection queue delays. The permitting process for renewable-energy projects involves massive amounts of paperwork and can take <a target="_blank" href="https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2024/04/dinapoli-renewable-energy-projects-taking-years-become-operational-nys#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20the%20permit%20application,permit%20process%20is%20not%20improved">three or more years to finish</a>.In the end, about <a target="_blank" href="https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/Queued%20Up%202024%20Edition_1.pdf">80%</a> don't make it to completion, and those that do can get stuck in the clogged interconnection queue for as long as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2024/03/01/the-energy-sector-and-ai-unplugging-the-interconnection-queue-backlog/?sh=4932ad4162f4">five more years</a>. By the end of 2023, almost <a target="_blank" href="https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/Queued%20Up%202024%20Edition_1.pdf">12,000 projects</a> were in the queue, waiting to be connected to the grid."It's a seriously complex process with so many stakeholders," Bovey said.South Fork Wind was the first utility-scale offshore-wind project in the US to make it through this process. In doing so, it revealed a lot of issues that could be fixed through standardization and better agency coordination, Bovey said. But it also proved that bringing offshore wind online was possible."Every hope is that this has paved the way for future projects to be cheaper, bigger, faster, and just as responsible — just as well sited," Bovey said.On the whole, Paul Denholm, a principal analyst and senior research fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is more skeptical of the country's prospects. We'll be closer to a 50% renewable-power grid by 2035 with the way things are going, he told BI.Right now, we lack the federal policy necessary to solve regulatory and permitting delays, clear the interconnection queue, and drive rapid infrastructure upgrades and technology implementation, Denholm said.For example, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's transmission investment, while noteworthy, took 11 years to get approval, and its next series of approvals have been delayed."So from that standpoint, it's pretty clear that we're not on a path to get to 100%," Denholm said.<h2 id="a55db279-156b-40fd-940e-ba037839bbdf">There's no going back</h2><div type="image" title="An electric vehicle charges in California" height="683" width="1024" msid="110091241" hostid="261" sizebytes="41490"></div>Regardless of how quickly the US gets there, we're headed for a clean-energy revolution. The federal government has invested nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.energy.gov/infrastructure/clean-energy-infrastructure-funding-projects-and-programs">$100 billion</a> in clean energy through its Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.Old infrastructure must be modernized across the country because the production and use of energy are going to get much more complicated.Nationwide, the grid draws power from about 12,000 power plants. Over the next 20 years or so, it will have to balloon to incorporate millions of small, distributed energy-generation resources, from hydropower dams to offshore wind farms to rooftop solar panels.Then there will be the batteries, which store wind and solar energy until a rainy day. Meanwhile, newly electrified cars and heating systems will increase energy demand.Eventually, home appliances may tap into data from the grid — how much people are drawing energy from it, how much carbon it's emitting, and how much electricity costs at any given hour — to help you make smart decisions about when to wash your dishes or heat your house."Historically it was meant to go one way," Schneider said of the grid. "Now we've got solar that pushes power back in. We've got EVs. We've got new loads like heat pumps. So the edge is getting so much more complicated with a lot more stakeholders in there."Smart grids are essential for integrating all that new stuff. The rollout of smart-grid technologies, renewable projects, and new transmission lines will happen piecemeal across the country, at different paces in different places, depending on policies, utility finances, and the economy — high up-front costs can be a major deterrent. However, the return on investment can be even greater.Take Chattanooga. EPB spent $280 million to refurbish its power system with smart technologies. In its first 10 years, the project generated $2.7 billion worth of economic value by creating jobs, attracting businesses, and reducing customers' electricity bills, an EPB-funded <a target="_blank" href="https://assets.epb.com/media/Lobo%20-%20Ten%20Years%20of%20Fiber%20Infrastructure%20in%20Hamilton%20County%20TN_Published.pdf">study</a> found.MISO foresees a similar return on its $10.3 billion investment. It estimates that investment will bring <a target="_blank" href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/sam-gomberg/midwest-transmission-system-investments-will-be-a-game-changer-for-a-clean-energy-future/">$37.3 billion of value</a> for customers by transporting cheaper, more reliable power. So the benefits can outweigh the cost."As we move forward, things are becoming more complex," Schneider said. "And we need to find ways to work together collaboratively. Because no one group or organization has all the answers, it's going to be a lot of different things coming together."

What it will take to modernize the American grid and usher in the clean-energy revolution

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zap-energy-fusion-power-plant-z-pinch-2023-12">fusion reactor</a> in southern France achieved a significant milestone toward clean, limitless energy.</li><li>The fusion reactor, WEST, created a super-hot plasma and sustained it for a record-breaking 6 minutes.</li></ul>A fusion reactor in southern France, called WEST, just achieved an important milestone that brings us one step closer to clean, sustainable, nearly limitless energy.Scientists at New Jersey's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, who collaborated on the project, announced today that the device created a super-hot material called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-video-solar-flares-erupt-simultaneously-on-sun-earth-impacts-2024-4">a plasma</a> that reached 90 million degrees Fahrenheit (50 million degrees Celsius) for 6 straight minutes.The ultimate goal is to sustain a super-hot plasma for many hours, but 6 minutes is a new world record for a device like WEST. Other nuclear reactors similar to WEST have created hotter plasmas, but they haven't lasted as long.WEST is what's called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/largest-fusion-reactor-power-on-in-japan-2023-12">a tokamak</a>. It's a donut-shaped fusion reactor the size of an 8-by-8-foot room with 8-foot-tall ceilings, capable of generating the same type of energy that powers our sun. That's why scientists sometimes call these machines "artificial suns."<div type="image" title="the sun glowing yellow-orange orb in black space covered in roiling plasma with two dark large spots" height="1024" width="1024" msid="109895805" hostid="261"></div>"What we are trying to do is create a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/second-nuclear-fusion-reaction-experiment-yields-more-energy-2023-8">sun on Earth</a>," Luis Delgado-Aparicio, PPPL's head of advanced projects, told Business Insider. "And that is extremely, extremely challenging," he said, but this new record suggests they're headed in the right direction.The sun runs on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hydrogen-bomb-vs-atomic-bomb-what-is-the-difference-2023-9">nuclear fusion</a> (when atomic nuclei combine and release energy) not to be confused with the nuclear fission process (when atomic nuclei split apart and release energy) that powers today's nuclear reactors.Fusion energy is more powerful than any form of energy we have today. If we can harness that power, it could <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-is-nuclear-fusion">produce</a> almost 4 million times more energy per kilogram of fuel than fossil fuels. Plus, it's carbon-free.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-no-fusion-energy-power-plants-yet-how-2023-10">Significant challenges</a> remain before that becomes a reality, which is where experimental reactors like WEST come in.While WEST won't be used to generate fusion for electricity to power homes, it's critical for the research that's laying the groundwork for future commercial reactors.<h2>WEST creates more energy and lays the groundwork for ITER</h2><div type="image" title="The exterior of a tokamak, a large device with metal ladders and scaffolding around it" height="552" width="600" msid="109895807" hostid="261"></div>WEST has a lot in common with ITER, a nearby reactor being built in southern France, which will be the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-the-iter-nuclear-fusion-plant-and-why-is-it-important-2016-2">world's largest tokamak</a> capable of self-sustaining burning plasmas when it's finished. Creating that self-heating mix is a crucial step to harnessing the power of fusion for commercial purposes.However, due to cost and technology <a target="_blank" href="https://phys.org/news/2023-01-international-fusion-energy-delays-chief.html">setbacks</a>, it's unclear when ITER will be finished. In the meantime, other facilities are conducting experiments to figure out how best to operate the giant reactor. That includes WEST.The two reactors are practically neighbors, and the experiments at WEST are directly applicable to ITER, Delgado-Aparicio said.For fusion to happen on Earth, the fuel needs to reach at least 50 million degrees Celsius. One of the main obstacles fusion power faces is that it takes a tremendous amount of energy to generate those extreme temperatures, and, so far, reactors can't sustain a plasma long enough to gain an energy surplus that could be put toward commercial use. For now, fusion reactors typically consume more energy than they produce.WEST's latest breakthrough was no exception. However, it did generate 15% more energy from fusion compared to earlier attempts, PPPL reported in a statement. Moreover, the plasma was twice as dense, another important component of creating more energy.<h2>The key to WEST's record success: tungsten</h2><div type="image" title="A man holds a sample of tungsten in a glass jar" height="651" width="1024" msid="109895809" hostid="261"></div>WEST is helping scientists test the best materials for building the walls inside a fusion reactor, which isn't easy since these environments can reach temperatures more than three times hotter than the sun's center.Originally, WEST contained carbon walls. While carbon is easy to work with, Delgado-Aparicio said, it also absorbs tritium, a rare <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oppenheimer-science-to-understand-physics-atomic-bombs-2023-7">hydrogen isotope</a> that fuels the fusion reaction."Imagine you have a wall that is not only a wall, but it's some sort of a sponge," he said, "a sponge that absorbs your fuel."So, in 2012, scientists decided to test a different material for the tokamak's walls, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tungsten-cube-sold-on-amazon-sell-for-thousands-crypto-community-2021-11">tungsten</a> — the same material that ITER will use for some of its main components.<div type="image" title="Three men in white lab coats sit at a desk looking at a computer" height="1281" width="2000" msid="109895810" hostid="261"></div>Because of tungsten's ability to withstand heat without absorbing tritium, Delgado-Aparicio believes it is the ideal material for tokamak walls.That said, tungsten isn't perfect. One of its downfalls is it can melt and enter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">the plasma</a>, contaminating it. In turn, this can counteract the process, radiating a lot of energy away and cooling the plasma.To optimize the system, scientists need to understand how exactly tungsten behaves and interacts with the plasma. That's what researchers are doing with WEST.<div type="image" title="A purplish wavy line against a blue background" height="570" width="696" msid="109895812" hostid="261"></div>The team at PPPL modified a diagnostic tool that they used in this latest experiment from WEST. The tool helped the team accurately measure the plasma's temperature to better understand how tungsten migrates from the wall of the device to the plasma."We can detect how it moves inside, we can follow it, we can study its transport inside the machine," Delgadot-Aparicio said. That could help build future methods for keeping the plasma free of impurities like blobs of tungsten that cool it down."Now we understand how that cooling needs to be taken care of," he said, "and that experience is going to be exported next door to ITER."WEST and ITER aren't the only reactors that use tungsten.Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), for example, is using tungsten walls for SPARC, its demonstration <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/power-line-fuel-for-fusion-energy-investment-falls-bankruptcy-woes-2020-5">fusion reactor</a>. And Korea's KSTAR has a tungsten divertor and recently demonstrated a 30-second, 100-million-degree plasma.Whether tungsten proves to be the key to unlocking commercial fusion energy remains to be seen.Commercial fusion energy is still likely decades away, but Delgado-Aparicio thinks they're making steps toward "this big goal of giving energy to humankind."PPPL said it will publish the results of its experiment in a peer-reviewed journal in a few weeks.

An 'artificial sun' achieved a record-breaking fusion experiment, bringing us closer to clean, limitless energy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan Airlines is looking at the feasibility of hydrogen-electric aircraft via three new partnerships.</li><li>The use of hydrogen over kerosene would decrease aircraft CO2 emissions but limit range and capacity.</li><li>According to the World Bank, more than 98% of the world's hydrogen is made using natural gas or coal.</li></ul>One of Asia's largest airlines is placing big bets on hydrogen.In mid-November, Japan Airlines announced a series of deals with global manufacturers of hydrogen-electric aircraft and engines to explore the feasibility of flying emissions-free passenger planes.These forward-thinking manufacturers are big names in the hydrogen industry and include Germany's H2Fly, California's Universal Hydrogen, and the British-American company ZeroAvia. All three have successfully <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/power-players-aviation-sustainability-electric-hydrogen-flight-2022-5">flown hydrogen-powered aircraft</a> this year.The technology uses a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity and run electric motors, or hydrogen can be combusted to power engines.In either case, existing jet engines could be converted to work on hydrogen fuel, and the flights would be carbon-free so long as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hydrogen-energy-help-climate-crisis-but-still-hurdles-2023-10">"green" hydrogen</a> was used, or hydrogen made using renewable energy.An August study from the <a target="_blank" href="https://theicct.org/publication/fuel-cell-retrofit-aug23/">International Council on Clean Transportation</a>, a US nonprofit think tank, found hydrogen fuel cells using green liquid hydrogen could reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 88%.<h2>A growing market</h2>With hydrogen proving a popular solution and world governments <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aviation-industry-net-zero-by-2050-disagree-decarbonization-2023-12">committing to net-zero emissions by 2050</a>, Japan Airlines' new partners are all racing to capitalize on the growing hydrogen market.In March, Universal Hydrogen flew the world's first hydrogen-powered regional airliner — an ATR 72 turboprop nicknamed Lightning McClean, which operated on hydrogen in only one engine for safety reasons.<div type="image" title="First UH liquid hydrogen flight on ATR 72." height="1706" width="2560" msid="106192276" hostid="261" sizebytes="127162"></div>The success is part of the company's development of ATR 72 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startups-hydrogen-aircraft-market-aviation-aerodelft-joby-climate-carbon">conversion kits</a>, for which it has secured 250 orders. The kits would allow operators to fit existing kerosene-burning aircraft engines with hydrogen-fuel-cell powertrains.ZeroAvia, a competitor, is pursuing a similar venture with the hydrogen-electric engine it's building for passenger aircraft, describing hydrogen fuel as the "only viable, scalable solution for zero-emission aviation."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-wins-amazon-shell-funding-transform-aviation-industry-hydrogen-2021-2">With backing from Bill Gates, Amazon, and Shell</a>, ZeroAvia hopes to create powertrains capable of powering planes with anywhere from nine to over 200 people on board by 2040.<div type="image" title="ZeroAvia's world's first hydrogen-electric passenger plane flight" height="1667" width="2500" msid="106192277" hostid="261" sizebytes="148232"></div>The company <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered-passenger-aircraft-flight-2020-10#however-this-hydrogen-electric-flight-isnt-the-projects-only-flight-to-have-taken-place-so-far-2">operated its first hydrogen-electric flight</a> in January using a 19-seater turboprop.Meanwhile, H2Fly operated the world's first piloted liquid-hydrogen flight in September using its four-seater HY4 demonstrator aircraft. The company said it's looking to size up to regional airliners soon.Other plane makers, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-a380-demonstrator-jet-that-will-test-hydrogen-powered-engines-2022-2">Airbus and Embraer, are also building hydrogen-powered aircraft</a> as part of their decarbonization efforts.<h2>Hydrogen powertrains are not strong enough yet to power large airliners</h2><div type="image" title="H2FLY's H2Y hydrogen plane flying." height="683" width="1024" msid="106192278" hostid="261" sizebytes="46660"></div>For now, the small prop planes are likely to remain the popular option for hydrogen-powered engines because the current technology is not strong enough to power the medium and large airliners that make up most of the world's passenger jets, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.This is likely not an issue for Japan Airlines, though, as its new partnerships are directed at deploying hydrogen aircraft on short, regional routes around Japan."JAL group already operates 50 regional aircraft which will be relevant to hydrogen-electric propulsion technology in the foreseeable future," James Peck, ZeroAvia's chief customer officer, said in a press release.The airline's regional connector, Japan Air Commuter, already operates a small fleet of ATR 72 planes, so its investment in Universal Hydrogen could prove lucrative thanks to its conversion kits for the turboprop.There's a downside to using hydrogen on these tinier planes, though.Because hydrogen is light and requires a lot of storage space because of the immense volume needed compared with kerosene, these smaller aircraft sacrifice range and payload capacity — meaning they could become a cost burden for operators.But the range issue could be remedied with the use of liquid hydrogen over gaseous hydrogen, as shown by H2Fly's recent flight. According to the company, its September H2Y flight soared 932 miles using liquid hydrogen but only 466 miles using gaseous hydrogen."In the years to come, battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will enable us to build aircraft that are quieter and make mid- to long-range air travel possible with zero emissions," Universal Hydrogen said.<h2>The debate between 'green' and 'blue' hydrogen</h2><div type="image" title="Hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline - hydrogen gas for clean electricity solar and windturbine facility." height="3359" width="5015" msid="106192279" hostid="261" sizebytes="738898"></div>In addition to range and capacity problems, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">hydrogen engines</a> have faced pushback from environmental advocates who worry that hydrogen production will further the fossil-fuel crisis.In October, the Biden administration announced $7 billion in funding to create "clean" hydrogen hubs, two-thirds of which were planned to be dedicated to producing green hydrogen via electrolysis — the process of splitting water into hydrogen and water.This, however, leaves room for what's known as "blue" hydrogen, created from a combination of natural gas and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-first-commercial-carbon-capture-facility-opens-2023-11">carbon capture and storage</a>.The process is considered carbon-neutral, but environmentalists say the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">burning of natural gas</a> inherently means excess methane emissions — which is a much more potent greenhouse gas compared with CO2, though it doesn't sit in the atmosphere as long.According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/energy/unleashing-power-hydrogen-clean-energy-transition">World Bank</a>, more than 98% of the world's hydrogen is made via natural gas or coal — meaning just a small portion is truly zero-emissions green hydrogen. "Gray" hydrogen — the same as blue minus the carbon capture — is the most abundant."It takes a lot of energy to capture the carbon dioxide, and that comes from burning even more natural gas," Robert Howarth, a professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University, told Business Insider's Catherine Boudreau in October. "So it's not a surprise to me that the oil and gas industry likes the idea of blue hydrogen."However, Brian Korgel, the director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, told BI that the companies vying for hydrogen-hub funding had to meet strict criteria."There's some safeguards," Korgel said. "These projects have to meet emissions standards, and it's not in companies' benefit to do the smoke-and-mirrors thing because they won't get the grant money, which ratchets up over time."

Japan Airlines is looking at hydrogen-electric-powered aircraft as a solution to the aviation industry's carbon problem

<div type="image" title="Elon Musk looking at his iPhone .JPG" height="1876" width="2502" msid="82616915" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>On Wednesday, <keyword id="107096" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tesla">Tesla</keyword> suspended purchases of its cars with <keyword id="6354947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bitcoin">bitcoin</keyword>.</li><li>CEO <keyword id="6355315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword> cited the environmental impact of mining and trading on <keyword id="6375918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carbon-emissions">carbon emissions</keyword>.</li><li>Bitcoin has a growing carbon footprint and could soon become the 5th largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world.</li></ul>Tesla <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-bans-bitcoin-payments-due-to-impact-on-environment-2021-5">suspended vehicle purchases made using bitcoin</a> this week, just three months after announcing plans to accept the cryptocurrency as payment. That might be for the best.CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday cited the environmental impact of bitcoin transactions for the electric automaker's decision to suspend the purchasing option."We are concerned about the rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel," Musk said in a tweet.Musk's decision sparked outrage on social media as #dontbuytesla trended on Twitter and users accused the CEO of market manipulation. "All of a sudden, he's not so keen due to environmental concerns. But why now?" Nigel Green, CEO of the financial advisor deVere Group and a crypto supporter, <a href="https://twitter.com/nigeljgreen/status/1392742757677076482">said</a>. "Those issues surrounding the environmental impact have not come up in the last few months."But Musk's decision may have some weight behind it, especially considering the rise in bitcoin's <keyword id="6357014" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="energy">energy</keyword> consumption in recent years. Tesla's February <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/tesla-buys-1point5-billion-in-bitcoin.html">investment of $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency caused a surge in demand</a>, further hiking up its value.Environmentalists have long criticized bitcoin's environmental footprint, and Wall Street analysts seem to agree: Bitcoin mining could erase any gains made by electric vehicles to eliminate carbon emissions.The cryptocurrency's energy consumption is linked to the computer calculations necessary every time a trade is made or a new bitcoin is minted. Thousands of computers connected network race to verify transactions and collect a reward for doing so. These processes rely on large amounts of computing power and electricity, which is often derived from fossil fuels, including coal - as well as the energy necessary to cool large computing arrays. Over the last two years, as bitcoin has rapidly risen in popularity, so too have CO2 emissions from its mining. The cryptocurrency has caused emissions to increase by over 40 million tons, which would be equivalent to adding 8.9 million cars to roads, according to a <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/05/13/musk-bitcoin-mining-bad-planet-heres-how-bad/">report</a> from Bank of America. "We do not find many other human activities that have a higher carbon footprint per dollar of inflow," the analysts said.BofA also found that the currency produces more greenhouse gases than American Airlines (one of the largest airlines in the world), as well as uses more energy than many countries, including Greece. BofA estimated that if bitcoin prices rose to $1 million, the cryptocurrency could become the fifth largest cause of CO2 emissions in the world. After Musk dropped bitcoin as a Tesla purchasing option, the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-tesla-payment-stops-elon-musk-climate-change-environment-2021-5-1030424949">currency plunged as much as 15%</a>, dipping below $50,000 - far from <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-btc-price-profit-taking-india-regulation-record-high-ether-2021-3-1030204745">bitcoin's record high</a>, near $65,000.

Elon Musk is right. Bitcoin could erase Tesla's strides toward a carbon-free future

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="45830" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bill-Gates">Bill Gates</keyword> is considering Glenrock, Wyoming, for his next-generation nuclear power plant. </li><li>The plant could replace 200 jobs that are at risk as a local <keyword id="6356966" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coal">coal</keyword> plant closes, the mayor said.</li><li>Gates' company TerraPower is running the project with Warren Buffett-owned PacifiCorp. </li></ul>A small town in Wyoming is hoping that Bill Gates will pick it for his upcoming $1 billion next-generation nuclear power plant, which could save hundreds of local jobs.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-terrapower-molten-salt-nuclear-reactor-2018-10">TerraPower</a>, Gates' nuclear-power company, is considering Glenrock, Wyoming, for its first advanced Natrium reactor, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-gates-wyoming-technology-environment-and-nature-government-and-politics-c647adc5f4a447eaef1c4ec28464e153">Associated Press (AP)</a>. Gates has said the reactor would be safer and cost less than a traditional nuclear reactor.A coal-fired power plant in Glenrock is due to shut in 2027, according to <a href="https://www.pacificorp.com/content/dam/pcorp/documents/en/pacificorp/energy/integrated-resource-plan/2019_IRP_Volume_I.pdf">plans published</a> by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-energy-companies-remotely-raised-smart-thermostats-temperatures-2021-6">energy company</a> PacifiCorp, the plant's owner. The plant, called the Dave Johnston Power Plant, employs nearly 200 people from Glenrock and two nearby towns, <a href="https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/news/troubling-future-of-coal-hits-dave-johnston-plant/article_a42d355a-421f-5647-ac3f-50d1f0b2289b.html">Wyoming News</a> reported.Glenrock Mayor Bruce Roumell <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/wyoming-bill-gates-terrapower-nuclear-replace-coal-jobs?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20foxbusiness%2Flatest%20%28Internal%20-%20Latest%20News%20-%20Text%290Text%29">told Fox Business</a> that the site could more than make up for lost coal jobs. "We've been told it'll be close to 250 people," Roumell told Fox Business when asked how many jobs could be created. "They've also said there would be around 1,500 people in the construction phase. That's a pretty good influx into this area for us." TerraPower is running the Natrium project with PacifiCorp - owned by billionaire <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-warren-buffett-spends-net-worth-philanthropy-2018-10">Warren Buffett</a> - and plans to <a href="https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/next-gen-nuclear-plant-and-jobs-are-coming-wyoming">open the plant by 2028.</a> The Natrium reactor could be a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/easy-ways-to-mitigate-climate-change-lower-your-carbon-footprint">carbon-free energy</a> source for about 400,000 homes during peak demand, <a href="https://www.terrapower.com/natrium-demo-wyoming-coal-plant/">TerraPower said in a press release</a>. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stocks-to-buy-companies-that-will-profit-from-the-clean-energy-movement">UBS lays out the case for buying these 47 stocks across 11 sectors that are 'preferred winners' from a $140 trillion transition to clean energy that will transform the industry</a>Gates said in a June <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHzwwtSTbxY&amp;t=558s558s">press briefing</a> that the Natirum reactor, which uses liquid sodium as its coolant instead of water, would be safer and cost less than a traditional nuclear reactor. In October 2020, the US Department of <keyword id="6357014" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="energy">Energy</keyword> awarded the project $80 million in initial funding, per a TerraPower <a href="https://www.terrapower.com/doe-natrium-demonstration-award/">press release</a>. In June, TerraPower said in a <a href="https://www.terrapower.com/natrium-demo-wyoming-coal-plant/">press release</a> that it would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-warren-buffett-nuclear-reactor-wyoming-terrapower-pacificorp-2021-6">select a town in Wyoming</a> for its first reactor project, and that it would announce the site by the end of the year. Gillette, Kemmerer, and Rock Springs are the three other towns under consideration, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-gates-wyoming-technology-environment-and-nature-government-and-politics-c647adc5f4a447eaef1c4ec28464e153">AP</a>.TerraPower previously said the project would cost about $1 billion, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-nuclearpower-terrapower-idUSKBN25N2U8">Reuters reported</a>. Fox Business said that nearly all of Glenrock's residents it spoke to were excited at the idea of TerraPower moving into town. "We've got to do something," resident Deb Schell told Fox Business. "I think it's the wave of the future. Coal is on its way out so we have to do something."TerraPower and PacifiCorp did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

You Searched For "carbon free energy" and got 12 results

Adani to supply clean energy for Google's cloud operations in India

PTI

Amazon invests in nuclear energy, hot on the heels of Google and Microsoft

Dominick Reuter

Nuclear power stocks are soaring amid an AI energy push. Here are 7 names to watch.

Matthew Fox

FM cuts customs duty on minerals critical for energy transition

PTI

Big Tech goes nuclear: Amazon's pitch to use power plants shows the crucial role the energy source plays for AI

Dan DeFrancesco

Google aims to become 100% carbon-free energy by 2030 — here’s how it’s planning to do it

Rahul Verma

Adani eyes 45 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030

PTI

What it will take to modernize the American grid and usher in the clean-energy revolution

Morgan McFall-Johnsen,Jenny M…

An 'artificial sun' achieved a record-breaking fusion experiment, bringing us closer to clean, limitless energy

Jenny McGrath

Japan Airlines is looking at hydrogen-electric-powered aircraft as a solution to the aviation industry's carbon problem

Taylor Rains

Elon Musk is right. Bitcoin could erase Tesla's strides toward a carbon-free future

Grace Kay

A small Wyoming town is hoping Bill Gates' $1 billion nuclear power plant could save hundreds of jobs

Anna Cooban

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides